Childhood of World Famous People: Einstein

Author: Yang Zhenghe Compiler
Publisher:
Publishing Time:
Features: Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), one of the greatest pioneers of the United States and a founder of American democracy, was a renowned scientist, publisher, diplomat, politician, philosopher, and entrepreneur. He was a leader of the American independence movement and participated in drafting and signing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Franklin was born in Boston, New England in North America in 1706. He was the 15th of 17 children in his family, and his father was a small merchant who made candles and soap. Franklin attended school for two years as a child but was forced to drop out due to financial hardship. At the age of 12, his father sent him to work as an apprentice in his brother's printing shop. The days as an apprentice were tough, but Franklin made the most of his free time to study diligently, reading extensively on politics, science, history, and literature, laying a solid foundation in these fields. He also became proficient in French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin through self-study. In 1726, Franklin began independently operating a printing factory in Philadelphia. From then on, Franklin's career flourished, and he began to create a legendary story of the American Dream: he printed and published the influential Pennsylvania Gazette; he invented the lightning rod, bifocal glasses, the Franklin stove, and the new-style street lamp; he first proposed the slogan "Unite or Die" for the North American colonies and co-drafted the Declaration of Independence with Jefferson; and when the U.S. Constitutional Convention was locked in debate over federalism, Franklin willingly stepped in to mediate. In 1771, he published The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, a book that changed the destinies of countless young people. This book vividly recounts Franklin's life journey, urging young people to be positive and influential far and wide. Few in American history have achieved such remarkable accomplishments in so many fields.